KARNES CITY – The April 23 regular meeting of the Karnes City City Council saw the council approve Amelia “Mely” Martinez to the official position of city secretary/comptroller.

Martinez had been working for the city in various capacities since 1985, and was eventually appointed as assistant city secretary in March of 2011.

Martinez had been doing the many duties and functions of a city secretary and the promotion to the position was seen as a formality and in keeping with the continued organizational efforts of the city, according to city officials.

The city secretary/comptroller is to “perform all other duties required by law, ordinance, resolution, or order of the governing body.” These duties include various forms of record-keeping, accounting, being a signatory to official documents, and many others.

“I enjoy what I do, and I’m excited to be a part of the city and its growth due to the impact of the Eagle Ford Shale,” said Martinez of her promotion.

Also during the meeting, the council heard a presentation from Dan Nguyen and Pat Riordan of Landmark Consolidated, an Austin-based hotel development and construction corporation.

The presentation was in regard to an InstaLodge Hotel and Suites, along with a Cajun seafood restaurant, that is in the proposal stages to be built on 10 acres adjacent to Supreme Vacuum on US 181.

“We’re here to ask for your blessing and to proceed with our permitting processes,” said Nguyen as he explained some of the logistics of the plan.

The site for the future InstaLodge is outside the city limits and the city will hold a public hearing on May 9 for the council to possibly approve the annexation of said property.

“It doesn’t do anything until we get the annexation complete, and a public hearing is scheduled for May 9,” said City Manager Don Tymrak of the Instalodge proposal. “At that time, if we approve the ordinance on the annexation, the InstaLodge can have their approval to proceed with their project and it will open up permitting and whatnot.”